Last month, we worked with Edinburgh Health and Social Care Partnership and two of our local communities, to host conversations about aging and dying well.
It’s a fact that how comfortable we feel talking about deteriorating health, dying, grief and loss, affects the way we approach these difficult subjects with others. Rather than seeing it as primarily a medical concern, we realise that care of the dying and bereaved is something we can all be a part of, whoever we are.
Working with locally-based Compassionate Neighbours who give of their time and care to the hospice and author Lucy Aykroyd, we invited local residents interested in meeting together over tea, coffee and cake to listen to each other and share their own stories of loss and grief. Opportunities to listen to others and to have our own stories heard, helps us talk more comfortably about deteriorating health, dying and grief.
Lucy Aykroyd’s book, Leaves of Love: Stories for Ageing and Dying Well was an easy to read collection of personal stories and reflections about her work of accompanying people living with (and in many cases dying from) a chronic or life-limiting illness. It provided the perfect backdrop to our conversations and, with the support of our partners at Edinburgh Health and Social Care Partnership, all books and refreshments were free of charge. Thanks also to Cramond Kirk, The Portobello Bookshop and Miro’s Pantry for supporting us.
If you’d like to learn more, please get in touch! Email ldarke@stcolumbashospice.org.uk
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